One of the little sections in The Great Work talks about water and how it connects to emotions. From my pagan background, I've know about this relationship for a long time. One of the prompts in the book asks about if there are any bodies of water that make me anxious. In reality, almost all... Continue Reading →

What in your life do you try to control, and where do you allow flow? I'm a very anxious person, so I tend to try to control everything. I'm a self-admitted control freak. I also believe this comes from my mom being a control freak, so I learned to be that way from her. I... Continue Reading →

In what ways do you celebrate or acknowledge the release of winter's hold? I love when it starts getting lighter in the mornings and when it's lighter after work. This year the winter has been much less harsh weather wise, but I still have missed the sunlight and being able to work in the yard and... Continue Reading →

We have been down in Tucson, Arizona the last few days for a steampunk convention called Wild Wild West Con. It's been great to dress up and hang out with like minded people. Here are some pictures from the convention.

The last few weeks I've been pretty sick. This cold is just lingering and doesn't seem to be letting go. The cough is the worst. It keeps me up at night, makes my throat raw, and makes work difficult. I have to make a lot of calls each day. It's hard to be professional when... Continue Reading →

Do you find yourself impacted by seasonal affective (SAD) disorder? This is definitely something that affects me every winter. The cold makes me want to stay indoors and cuddle up under a blanket. I really don't do well with the cold weather. Also, the fewer hours of sunlight frustrate me, as I just want to... Continue Reading →

This pagan holiday is often celebrated around February 2nd. It kind of corresponds with Groundhog's Day and Candlemas. This holiday is halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. People often celebrate the fact that the days are beginning to get noticeably longer and in some areas, the weather is warming too. In Colorado... Continue Reading →

What is your sense of the difference between higher realms, the underworld, and the earthly plain? I think that while we live in this realm, we have access to the other realms. I think some people have to work at that access, but others come by it naturally. I don't believe that either realm is... Continue Reading →

What is your sense of your instinctual side? I've always struggled with my instinctual or intuitive side and my logical side. There are often things that I sense or know, but can't explain. My logical side always wants to find that explanation. This has caused me to question my own beliefs often. Difficulties in life... Continue Reading →

With what animal do you have a particular connection? I've always loved elephants, ever since I was a little girl. I'm not sure I have a strong connection to Elephant, though. My friend told me that she had dreams that Owl is my spirit animal. While I've never really seen Owl in my dreams or... Continue Reading →

This week's topic in The Great Work is about animal spirits or totems and the runes. Animal guides Many different cultures have used animals to guide their work and practices. The Egyptians had many Gods and Goddesses that had animal heads, representing their animal spirit. Many people are also familiar with animal spirits and totems... Continue Reading →

Reflect on whether your eating and sleeping habits feel healthy and balanced. I have spent most of my life struggling with my weight. Pretty much ever since puberty, I've been overweight. So reflecting on my eating habits is difficult. I definitely try to eat healthy, but I have a pretty strong sweet tooth. Consequently, I... Continue Reading →

What situations would prompt a feeling of fear in you? Mostly, fear comes up when I think I might lose my job or I might get in trouble for a mistake. I've had some not so great managers in my past, which I'm sure many other people have too, and I now fear losing my... Continue Reading →

Reflect on how many home or job changes you have experienced in your life. I've really only had one home change. My parents had a home before the one they currently live in, but I don't remember it. The one they currently live in is all I remember and they have been there for 30+... Continue Reading →

Chakras are energy centers found in the body, and correspond to different emotions, beliefs, and even parts of the body. This knowledge is found in eastern philosophy. The root chakra is found at the base of the spine, connecting our energy with the earth. The bones of our body, including the teeth, are associated with... Continue Reading →

What do you consider your greatest strength? I have a couple. It's my ability to learn new things and my tenacity. I've always known that I can pick up new things rather quickly, when I put my mind to it. I'm able to retain a lot of knowledge and can recall it rather well when... Continue Reading →

What gives you comfort in troubled times? Mostly my husband gives me comfort when I'm struggling. When I don't have faith in myself, he does. He is my biggest cheerleader. Also, one thing that gives me comfort when I'm struggling is realizing that we humans are pretty darn resilient and tenacious. We have lived thousands... Continue Reading →

Have you had times of feeling you don't know who you are? I've been experiencing this feeling ever since I graduated college. I knew in high school I wanted to become a chemist and work for the coroner's office in my area. I went to college and got my BS in chemistry. It took a... Continue Reading →

Calcination is a term pulled from alchemy where the material to be transmuted is subjected to intense heat to drive off any waters and impurities in the material. The result is a fine, dry powder. In life this can be seen as times where major events happen, often breaking us down, such as a death... Continue Reading →

How comfortable are you in taking risks? I'm not very comfortable at all. I don't like change much. I like things to stay the same, as much as possible. How encouraged were you to explore new things in childhood? I don't remember much about my early childhood, but I remember not being able to go... Continue Reading →